Sir, - Mr Bertie Ahern, in his interview with Maol Muire Tynan (May 13th) stated: "The people never voted the Rainbow in ... the people have an opportunity to break away from what they never voted for." This is misleading.
The people never voted for the Fianna Fail/Labour government of January 1993 either. In a general election, the electors do not vote directly for any particular government. They vote to elect members of Dail Eireann, and it is the members of Dail Eireann who decide the government. The constitution makes no mention of political parties.
The Fianna Fail/Labour government was elected to office by a majority of the Dail in January 1993. Similarly, the Rainbow Coalition was elected to office by majority vote of the same Dail (the 27th) in December 1994. The procedure was the same in both cases. Yours, etc.,
Ballynoe Court,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.